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Not cool, dude I’

Pussy--that’s exactly what she said

She said she wouldn’t come if I ca Can I bring so someone

Text from Mimi to Sophia:

So

No

Co--

Good! I’ll co

What? What a baby; he can’t handle it if I’ing soht you weren’t co

Shut up What tiain at the office, alone It was alotten ho In a previous life, when I wasn’t responsible for so lunch break to go home, see him, have a nooner, and then head back to work But not any the finishing touches on my first payroll report, since the accountant wasn’t able to pull all the hours he needed from his computer at home Which is where he was Which is whereon top of everything ise; turns out you can get everything done when you work twelve-hour days And weekends With Simon away on a job, I could do it I ate, slept, and peed Jillian Designs But it orth it; I was getting a taste of what it would be like to runreat job for her Could I have asked her for a little more help? Maybe, but I wanted her to enjoy herself So I barelyjust as I clicked send on payroll Yawning, I answered "I proo"

"But this ti down the hallway And hear that? That’sout my keys to lock the door"

"I don’t like the idea of you being out so late at night all alone"

"Babe, I aet hohts?"

"I still can’t believe you wouldn’t let ht, and likes the way you look in your red heels?"

"Well then, that weirdo’s gonna get an ass full of red heels if he tries anything-- Wait, how did you know I’ around

Parked just a few feet fro here?"

"I can’t believe you really thought I wasn’t going to coetting out of the car

If he was sun kissed when he was in Africa, he was sun baked while he was in Bora Bora Which made his eyes even more blue, his face evenHe caught ht he even picked

"You’re so pretty," I whispered, kissing his cheeks and his forehead and his nose and finally his sweet lips Which were now grinning "How long have you been out here? Have you been here all night?" I asked as he opened the car door, and I saw the stacks of coffee cups

"Not all night" He walked around to his side, getting in and turning the car on "Just since about nine thirty"

"Oh my God, why didn’t you tell "

"I knew you needed to get your work done; no biggie" He yawned

"Uh, yeah, it’s a biggie," I insisted, then leaned across the seat to kiss his cheek again "You glad to be ho to sleep for days After I get soly eyebrow

"Maybe tonight, no sugar Maybe tonight, just sleep"

"I’m tired, but I’m not that tired," he said, even as a yawn cracked open his face

"We’ll see," I conceded "You should sleep so you’re ready for Gaotta ?"

"Yep, should be interesting"

"If you girls can behave yourselves," he teased

We cruised He yawned

"How’s the ninth looking for you?" he asked suddenly

"The ninth?"

"Of Deceo withar," he quipped

"Sleep," I insisted, as he gave ar

But this woer than normal in the bathroom I didn’t need to exfoliate, but I did I didn’t need to condition er was dead to the world and telling everyone about it with his snores Next to hi the most ridiculous little kitty snores

I slipped under the covers and burrowed into Siar

• • •

As soon as I was up, I left the city and headed over to the Sausalito house I let Sih the hotel alone Sometimes it was easier to check on projects when there was no one else there I could explore the space witha feel for how things were going

The hotel was going to be beautiful Still just a shell, but I could see what it was going to be And as shells took shape, soinal plans Maybe a new palette suggested itself, or certain lines weren’t as strong in real life as they were on paper It wasn’t second-guessing, it was adapting And I missed my Master Adapter

Jillian had the best eye for detail of any designer I’d ever worked with And she was great at helping ut check My sounding board So as I walked the plank flooring, I wished she was there I did projects byme up when I needed it I had to propner thinks about it, some even dream about it--but that wasn’t me So much work, so much risk, taken on solely Your name, your failure

I’d literally lucked into a dream when Jillian hired me after my internship I followed her around like a puppyit all in I sat in her office, ed it all She was always cal else was jalapeños She ho I wanted to be when I grew up I just never thought I’d get there

Jillian didn’t come from money; she’d worked for every penny she had She’d left a successful position at a very high profile design fir in her own tiny shop in the Castro The stories I’d heard fro tile ship for her toniest clients, installing lighting fixtures twenty feet in the air when an electrician didn’t show--you naht et the best discounts, how to school a contractor who thought he was going to get one over on a female project lead, and how to deal with clients ere complete and total assholes And there were a lot of the her way to a highly successful business while looking like she’d just rolled off a runway in Milan

She did it all

Was I doing it all? I kneas a good designer, but I’d never be a Jillian I could wear her shoes for a little while, though

I took my pictures, made my notes, and hiked back up the hill to the house It was close enough to theinto tohen the hts that I was there, sometimes to look at the hotel, yes, but sohborhoods Hidden pathways, rounded garden doors, high hedges and last suical

When I rounded the street corner, I was thrilled by the sight of a black Range Rover parked outside Simon ake and on this side of the bay With a secret smile, I hurried inside

• • •

As I brushed out ht, I realized that it was the first time in almost teeks that it wasn’t piled on top of ether with colored pencils Si all of his shots on his laptop I passed by on my way to the kitchen, and was stopped by a hand on my ass

"Hi?"

"Hi," he answered, his eyes still on the co?"

"Always," he answered,earlier," I pouted

"I’ot turnovers"

"I already like where this is going," hearound my waist

"No no, I mean I have turnovers that I need to put in the oven"

"Wait, those are like tiny pies, right?"

"Yes, Simon, they’re like tiny pies"

"Apple?"

"Cherry"

"Have o Uncle Jesse onelse hardened "I do indeed"

Kissed me fierce, he did, and while I did my best to reet And I did, until the doorbell rang

"Daoff his lap

"You knohat it does to o Kelly Kapowski on ive you my own special Bayside cheer later on" I winked and danced away fro with that," I instructed, pointing at his enthusiasm